Hi- I am a 34 year old wife and mother to two beautiful girls, six and four. I first viewed this site in Jan 2008 when I was diagnosed witha colloid cyst in the third ventricle. I had surgery (Craniotomy) in Feb 08 and since then have resumed all normal activities. About two months following my surgery I began to experience tingling and numbness in my hands.

My neurosurgeon suspected chairi but also found a small aneurysm, which we decided to watch. In Oct of 09, after my yearly checkup at the neurosurgeons, my symptoms were increasing- neck and hand stiffness, throbbing headaches (again), and nighttime tingling an numbness. I was concerned that my ability to manage my symptoms were becomming more than I could handle.
My symptoms spiked this past Monday and I went back to the neurosurgeons for a visit. An MRA was performed which showed no change in the level of my cerebellar tonsills but revealed a slight, but worrisome, change in the shape of the aneurysm. He recommeded surgery. I had convinced myself that I was ready for the decompression and was not prepared to hear that the aneurysm had to be repaired first. Repairing that will not make myh head feel better. I am now at a point of utter despair. Statistically, how could one person have three significant neurological conditions.
Now I will have to repair the aneurysm, recover, and then return for a third major operation to decompress the chairi. I am terrified after experiencing the the first surgery. I want to be painfree, energetic, and fully functional. I want to be with my kids- not spend the next two years recovering from two surgeries.
I am in a bad place emotionally- angry, sad, scared, exhausted. I don't know how I will get through this. Will I be okay after all of this? How much of myself will remain? I would love to hear recovery experiences and advice on how to manage emotionally.